Cholic acid has been transformed to 3 alpha, 7 alpha, 12 alpha-triacetoxy-16,17-seco-5 beta-androstane-16,17-dioic acid and lactonization and 14 alpha-14 beta isomerization studies will be pursued on this substrate. Integrated with this endeavor are Claisen rearrangement studies aimed at incorporating 8 beta-substituents to produce quassinoid analogs.